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Float Hunts: Round Boat or Hunting Canoes?

Most of us have put in for our favorite hunts and now its time to get all of the pieces in place in anticipation of a successful draw!

Many of us choose a float hunt over a drop camp and that includes me. The first question I hear is why float hunt over a drop hunt?

Drop Hunts have some simple advantages that need to be considered.

Advantages

*Light weight, 1 set up and 1 break down, more time in the field, less time messing with gear and less expense.

Disadvantages

*A drop camp seriously limits your ability to cover country. The reality is you can make a 3-5 mile circle around your camp and that is your realistic hunting area. If an animal is another mile out moving a caribou can be a major burden and a moose....Ugggg....

Float hunts have more moving parts so..

Advantages

*That 3-5 mile circle you have with a drop camp now becomes a moving circle which will cover a river drainage in the 25-40 mile range. Anything longer than 40 miles is too much river time for the average 10 day hunt. Move only if you need to. Not being productive? Move 5-10 miles down river. My float hunters see more and generally bag larger critters than the drop camps do.

Disadvantages

*Cost-$100 to 125 per day additional cost, Weight-my round boats weight between 135-160 pounds depending on the raft package. More set up and break down. My average group will move 3 times and that can be a real disadvantage over staying in one spot!

Choices in inflatables:

We rent solid floor boats in the 13 and 14 foot range. We did self-bailers but we were seeing lots of wet meat and spoilage. Solid floor boats greatly reduce water getting into the raft and no wet, spoiled meat. We have received lots of feedback from out flight services and all have pushed to find ways to lighten the load so we have..

In the past 3 years we have added a bunch of SOAR Canoes. We have 16 foot Explorers which weigh 78 pounds and have a capacity of 1,000 pounds, 16 Pro Pioneer Magnum which weighs 90 pounds and hauls 1,800 pounds and the Big Daddy- 18 foot Pro Pioneer Magnum which weighs 107 pounds and hauls an amazing 2,100 pounds of moose, bou and gear!

Each has its own advantage and disadvantage but the move towards the hunting canoes and away from round boats is the direction we are going. The need to reduce weight while safely hauling big loads is a must!

So...Now you have some info and you have time to decide what will work best for your hunt! Be sure to talk to your pilot so he know what to expect and you know what the charge is going to be before you arrive at the air strip! Great hunts start with great plans and now is the time to get those plans made!